Robert J. Gartside Jr.

Robert J. Gartside Jr, 95, of Lexington, MA, cherished and beloved teacher, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle, friend, accomplished tenor, gardener, and French culinary artist, passed away peacefully at his home on Saturday April 20, 2024.
Robert was born on June 1, 1928 in St. Louis, MO. Piano lessons and performances started early in grade school, with vocal performances added during high school at the John Burroughs School in University City, MO. A national scholarship took him to Harvard, where he initially began studying chemistry, a sensible major according to his parents. Thankfully, for all the singers he eventually taught and the many lifelong friends from the Harvard Glee Club, chemistry was left behind, and music took the leading role in his life. Music was even influential in his army days after his 1950 cum laude graduation from Harvard with a BS in political theory. Due to his perfect pitch and rhythmic abilities, he was placed in the high-speed radio signal corp, thankfully for his family, a much safer option than the Korean front. He returned to Harvard in the spring of 1953 for a degree in education. There he became the assistant conductor of the Harvard Glee Club (which frequently collaborated with the Radcliffe Choral Society) where, according to his stories, a beautiful young woman wearing a black sweater sat in the front row of the alto section and distracted him. Many lifelong friendships were forged during those Glee Club years, but the two most significant were with that distracting young woman, Joan Marion Huth, his future wife, and his dear friend and future accompanist, Laurence Berman.
Following his second Harvard graduation in 1955, he won the Frank Huntington Beebe Fellowship, to support study in Paris, France for one year with Pierre Bernac. One year was not enough for him, so he chose to stay and hone his understanding and interpretation of the French song, working with Bernac and renowned composer Francis Poulenc, but not before returning home to wed his beloved Joan on August 25, 1956. With two one-way tickets, the newlyweds sailed across the ocean to their new, bohemian life in Paris. Robert performed as a recitalist and soloist in France, Germany, Holland, Belgium, and England during his 12 years in France. As his children arrived, a steady income and a larger home were needed. The family moved to the Paris suburbs in Neuilly-sur-Seine, and Robert took on the choir conductor's job at the Supreme Headquarters of the Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) while Joan taught at the American School in Paris. A few years later, the two had their own home built in L'Étang-la-Ville, allowing for gardens and even more French culinary exploits in the kitchen. In 1964, Robert returned to the United States for his American debut at Carnegie Hall; the New York Times critic dubbed him as an "important addition to the musical scene." Life was idyllic, but the relocation of SHAPE to Brussels (where he did not want to live), and a job offer from Boston University brought the two home in 1967 with their three young children, Katherine, Frederick, and Jennifer.
Their modest home in Lexington, perched upon Loring hill, with views of Boston, a room large enough to house his piano and his private voice studio, and ample land for ever expanding gardens, became their home for the next 56 years. Robert lived for his family, his friends, his students, his music, his gardens, and his love of French cuisine. His devotion to each student, from high school aged to retirees, encouraging them, coaching them, and providing them with performance opportunities, is remembered by all. He continued to perform himself, soloing in oratorios and giving song recitals around the country. Family life was equally important to Robert, always making special occasions joyful and delicious with his multi-course dinners topped with exquisite desserts. As the children moved away, he continued his birthday tradition of a homemade cake, mailing these delicious creations off to college campuses where his children and their friends benefitted from his skills. Dinner parties and garden tours, while requiring much effort on his part and Joan's, were enjoyed by friends and family from near and far. Retirement from BU in 1992 allowed more time for family, students, gardens, traveling, entertaining, adjudicating competitions, and writing. His many years of French song study became published in 3 books: Interpreting the Songs of Maurice Ravel (1992), Interpreting the Songs of Gabriel Faure (1996), and Songs from Early France 145th-18th Century (2004). His travels, at the urging of Joan, took him around the world, eventually visiting all 7 continents. In between these world travels, he was a loving, attentive grandfather, visiting his grandchildren, Amanda, Randal, and Austin in California, Celina and Helena in Connecticut, and Elizabeth and Nicholas in Illinois. He was ever present, never missing a birthday or graduation, always available for cooking advice at the last moment - "Dad, how do I make the gravy for the roast beef?" - happy to help with your garden, and to provide dozens of Christmas cookies, which, like the birthday cakes, were mailed around the country to friends and family.
These last 8 years slowed Robert down, after suffering a stroke in 2016. At that point he fully retired from teaching but continued to live life to the fullest extent possible. His inspiration and influence were widespread and will continue beyond his passing. For those fortunate enough to have known him, to have been taught by him, or to have called him a friend, may you continue to spread his wisdom, and his love of music, french cuisine, and flowers. While his family and friends will miss him terribly, we know he is at peace now, reunited with the love of his life Joan.
Robert is predeceased by his wife Joan (2010) and his two sisters, Marie Louise (2016) and Dorothy (2023). He is survived by his loving children Katherine (Chava), Frederick (Dru), Jennifer (Chad), his cherished grandchildren, Amanda (John), Randal, Austin (Sarah), Celina, Helena, Elizabeth, Nicholas, his two great-grandchildren, John and Stephanie, his sister-in-law Karyl Huth, nieces Carolyn Bates, Cindy Koster, Mary Lynn Sutton (Peter), Linda Haycraft, Laura Clover (Joe), and Susan Riesmeyer, nephew Tom (Linda), and his devoted friend of 71 years, Laurence Berman.
Robert spent his life creating music, inspiring others in their musical careers, and supporting the arts in the Boston area. While we know Robert loved gardens, in lieu of sending flowers, consider a donation in his honor to the Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra at https://plymouthphil.org/ticketing-donations/.
Robert's Celebration of Life will take place on Sunday, August 11, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. at Follen Community Church, 755 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, MA. A reception will follow at his home at 20 Loring Road, Lexington, MA.